


Trust Me, I'm a Detective's Daughter

by rosietvlers



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 1920s detective story au, Crime Solving, F/M, some background huntingbird and skyeward
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-06-07 18:19:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6818998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosietvlers/pseuds/rosietvlers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 1924 and Jemma Simmons will remember this year for sure. When your father is Phil Coulson, one of most famous private detectives, your life is always an interesting adventure but Jemma never suspected that what she thinks will be a way to make her life more boring, would lead to the biggest case her father's ever been on. The thing is, Jemma and her new friend, Leo Fitz, believe they can do it better than world's famous private detective.<br/>And this is just the beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Could Possibly Happen?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is actually my first fanfic in English and I wasn't going to write it but then my idea became way too big and so I just needed to write it all down - and it didn't turned out so horrible as I thought it would!  
> And that's how this A-Little-Bit-Agatha-Christie-Like-Story came to life.  
> Also, I tried my best to do research and also find some words that people used back in 1920s so I hope it's not too inaccurate.  
> I hope you enjoy and since this is my first fanfiction here, i'd love you if you told me if you like it! And don't hesitate if you want to tell me about any mistakes I've made!

Jemma Simmons isn't so sure she wants to leave her hometown. She's never been to the USA before and she's perfectly fine with living in England, really. Being adopted daughter of one of the most famous private detectives, Philip Coulson, is another reason. Whenever he has to leave to visit some strange family where something happened, Jemma comes with him and it's always more than interesting. Sometimes she thinks she could live like this.  
  
But it's all going to end soon, because Jemma Simmons is on a ferry now, with all of her clothes and books packed and going to meet the man her father insists on marrying.  
  
Well, it's not like she hates Milton or something - he's kind of good-looking and nice. But that's the problem - he's too nice and every time she talks to him when he visits her and her father, it's like he doesn't have his own opinion on anything. She used to think being with a man who agrees with her constantly is something nice, but now she really isn't so sure. But no - hating him isn't the problem here. And her father most certainly wouldn't make her marry someone she really wouldn't want to marry - it's not these times anymore, it's 1924. But Jemma wanted to be a good daughter and she realized that her father and herself could use joining a family with higher status than theirs.  
  
She sighs heavily and actually almost bumps into someone - a man in a hat with sandy curly hair, she notices.  
  
"I'm sorry" she mumbles quickly and starts looking for her father.  
  
She finally sees him standing next to the bedrooms' corridor.  
  
"Jemma, there you are!" he says, so apparently he's been looking for her too. "I already know where our cabins are. Come on!" they both walk through the door and Jemma exhales again - she's leaving to meet Milton - not her future murderer or something. She can smile if it makes her father feel better, right?  
  
Right?  
  
***  
  
Leo Fitz looks lost. Probably because he is, indeed, quite lost. Not on the ferry but in his own mind - he's looking around, looking for something or someone but isn't really sure what or who exactly. It looks like he's running from something.  
  
"Are you hiding from me?" he hears and turns around to see Daisy starring at him, wearing this weird shapeless dress she loves so much (Fitz suspects that's mostly because Cal hates it and always says it's very inappropriate). "Oh, come on, Fitz. Don't be so nervous, I know you're not a fan of traveling on ships, but nothing's going to happen!"  
  
"Well, I'm sure nothing's going to happen" he rolls his eyes and follows his step-sister to the cabin corridor. "I mean, what could possibly happen? Someone will be bumped off?" he jokes, his laughter a little bit nervous.  
  
"Who knows!" Daisy smiles wildly and if Fitz didn't know any better, he'd think it's Daisy who's planning something evil.  
  
Then suddenly his sister stops and Fitz realizes it's her cabin.  
  
"Don't forget about dinner, it's in two hours!" she shouts as if she suspects Fitz to be half-deaf, and disappears behind the door. He stands like that for a while, not sure if he should go to his cabin and finish the book about physics he brought with him to Scotland or maybe go somewhere and try not to think about his seasickness.  
  
He decides going to sleep might help him so he finally opens the door and looks at the suitcases - why did he need all of this again?  
  
He lies on the bed that is perfectly soft and keeps thinking about how he can't forget about dinner or else Daisy would actually murder him. Or Mack. Or Fitz's step dad.  
  
***  
  
The room is big and full of people traveling with them - Jemma didn't even realize there were so many people on the ship. Almost everyone looks like someone from way higher class and Jemma would feel out of place if a) - she wasn't Phil Coulson's daughter and b) - wasn't so dolled up, looking way better than usually. She grimaces a little bit when she remembers her emerald dress was Milton's gift but then again, she didn't ask for it, right?  
  
She looks around to find empty places for her and her father when her brown eyes meet blue ones that look strangely familiar. She doesn't understand for a short moment and then she remembers - the man she almost bumped into not so long time ago. He's most definitely upper class - his clothes look expensive and so are those that belong to a man, who must be his father. At their table there are also a dark-skinned man (probably a friend - looks too ritzy to work for them but doesn't look like them at all) and a brunette, dressed in a rather scandalous way, in one of those baggy dresses and a gold headband in curly hair. She doesn't really look like the sandy-haired man, and Jemma doubts she's family. Fiancée, then?  
  
She narrows her eyes, because the flapper doesn't seem like Sandy's type but then again, how could Jemma even know his type?  
  
She looks away for a moment and suddenly she knows - they will sit at this table. Coulson shows up as if he can read in her mind.  
  
"I think we can-" she begins, but she's interrupted by her father.  
  
"Oh my God!" Coulson exclaims. Jemma's confused for a while and then she notices a rather petite Asian woman who looks quite familiar. "Melinda May!"  
  
Oh, right!, Jemma thinks. Melinda May, an old friend of Phil Coulson's. She used to play with Jemma when she was little and then she suddenly disappeared. When Jemma asked about it, Coulson said she had something important to do. Jemma's definitely happy to see her, especially since it's such a surprise.  
  
She wants to say something, but Coulson and May seem very wrapped up in a conversation so she decides she will just sit at Sandy's table and give Coulson and May time to talk. She shouldn't be nervous about it, right?  
  
"Hello! I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, could I join you?" she asks anyone in particular but looks at the man who she assumed is Sandy's father. She feels a bit nervous - are they fine with her not being an upper-class person? Can they tell the difference even in Jemma's most expensive dress?  
  
"Of course!" the father says rather happily and Jemma sighs in relief. "My name's Cal Johnson and these are my daughter Daisy, my son Leopold and good friend of ours, Alphonso Mackenzie".  
  
"It's pleasure to meet you! I'm Jemma Simmons. My father, Philip Coulson" she nods her head in Coulson and May's direction "is over there and he might be joining us." she introduces herself and for some reason, she feels a little bit relieved that the brunette - Daisy - is not Sandy's - Leopold's - fiancée.  
  
"Cal, please" she hears Leopold groan "It's Fitz, not Leopold."  
  
Leopold - Fitz, apparently - smiles at Jemma kindly, as if he's apologizing for his father's behavior.  
  
"Um, my surname is Fitz, Cal isn't really my father. I mean, not the biological one. He married my mother so Daisy is my step sister" he explains quickly and Jemma's grateful for that, since she was starting to wonder why Fitz calls his father by his name.  
  
"But you love me as much as you would love a biological sister!" Daisy grins and Jemma finds her rather not like she'd think a flapper girl would be like.  
  
"Also, my name is Mack, not Alphonso" Fitz's family's friend adds and Jemma wonders what is it with not using their full names.  
  
"I see" Jemma nods, looking rather balled up.  
  
"Don't worry, Miss Simmons, my name is actually Daisy" Fitz's sister adds, laughing.  
  
"Oh, good. It would haunt me forever, for sure" Jemma jokes, surprised how easy it is to talk to those people. "And it's Jemma, please. It's probably a bit weird but I don't like when people call me Miss Simmons.  
  
"Well, then, it's only fair if you call me Daisy! Miss Johnson is annoying and I'm glad someone actually understands me!"  
  
"And how!" Jemma exclaims and then realizes that everyone other than herself and Daisy is quiet. She wonders if she's too loud - oh no, what if they decided Jemma shouldn't be talking to them? - but then she hears Fitz chuckle.  
  
"Daisy, you're going to talk poor girl to death!" he says in quite serious voice, actually.  
  
"Baloney!" Daisy seems offended "Jemma here is perfectly fine with me talking, isn't she?"  
  
Fitz still seems to be unconvinced and so does Mack, but Jemma's grateful, really. She'd never think dinner on a ferry could be so much fun.  
  
"So what brings you to the USA, Miss Simmons?" Mack asks. "Do you and your father live there?"  
  
"First of all, the rule of calling me "Jemma" applies to everyone now!" Jemma says, pretending to be offended. "And second of all, I'm going to. Live there, I mean. My fiance lives in Boston." she adds.  
  
"Oh, that's great, we're from Boston!" Fitz exclaims and Jemma's pretty sure he hasn't said anything louder than that yet. "I mean, um, Boston is great. It's a very nifty city!"  
  
"And how!" Mack adds and this reaction looks unnatural but Jemma doesn't really care - she's known Daisy, Fitz, and Mack for about an hour now and yet she feels like she's just met her old friends.  
  
The dinner is over five minutes later and she'd promised Daisy she'll meet them this evening and she's already looking for Coulson and May. They are still sitting at the table, chatting with each other and also with two other people - a blonde in a red, very elegant dress and a man who looks slightly less ritzy. They look smitten and Jemma's sure they're together.  
  
She sits at the table and smiles at May widely.  
  
"Jemma!" May, scary May actually smiles back, even if it's almost unnoticeable. "It's really nice to see you, after all these years!"  
  
"Of course it is, May! I hope I'm not interrupting a conversation, by the way?" Jemma asks, reminding herself that they were talking to the unfamiliar pair before.  
  
"Not at all!" the man says. "I'm Lance Hunter, and this is Bobbi Morse" he looks at the blonde on his left.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hunter. My name is Jemma Simmons" she says "What brings you to the USA, if I might ask?"  
  
"Oh please, it's Hunter" he says and really, Jemma would be surprised but she isn't at all - not after Fitz and Mack. "And we weren't traveling together, actually. I was just telling your father and his friend about how I was going to visit my American family and I happened to meet my old love, Bobbi? Can, you believe it, Jemma?"  
  
He doesn't ask her if he can call her Jemma but she's not mad - it's quite natural, actually, to hear her name from someone she barely knows after her conversation during dinner.  
  
Also, the story is rather sweet.  
  
"Aww" she can't stop herself, even if cooing is something very not Jemma-Simmons-Like. "That's quite a story, really. And where was Miss Morse heading?"  
  
"Bobbi" she corrects her and she's not surprised because of that "Well, actually it's Barbara. But I really do hate my name" she winces and sighs heavily but cheers up after a moment "But anyway, I found a job in New York - I'm an actress. A beginner, really. But I just got my chance to shine and well, I want to use it" she smiles widely and Jemma envies her, just a little bit - she will never get her chance to shine, simply because most people don't believe women can be as good scientists as men.  
  
"Well, that's amazing!" she says and wants to add something but then she suddenly feels kind of tired. Probably too many things happening in one day, she thinks.  
  
She stands up and smiles warmly at everyone at the table.  
  
"It was great to meet you two but I think I'm going to head to my cabin. But see you tomorrow, I hope...?"  
  
"Of course, love!" Hunter says happily and if Jemma didn't see the way he looks at Bobbi, all goofy, she would think he's a little too much enthusiastic. He probably always sounds like this.  
  
"Goodnight everyone, then!" she says and then goes back to her cabin. She's got a lot to think about.  
  
She doesn't get too much sleep, though - she hears knocking that wakes her up.  
  
"Thank god, you're fine! I'm sorry I scared you" Coulson apologizes "But you see, something happened - an expensive necklace disappeared. It belonged to Cal Johnson, one of the passengers, says he wanted to give it to his wife. Not a very lucky guy, I guess. But anyway, I just wanted to warn you and tell you to lock your cabin. I was afraid something could happen to you too. And sorry for waking you up, again!" he wants to leave the room, but Jemma's suddenly wide awake.  
  
"Wait! What do you mean Cal Johnson?" she asks and Coulson looks confused "Um, it's just, I met him and his family yesterday during dinner."  
  
"Oh, really?" her father asks and Jemma nods. "Well, I could actually use your help. I know how you love asking questions."  
  
Jemma indeed loves asking questions when he's on a case and that's why she smiles widely (although she feels bad for doing so - Mr. Johnson must feel awful, not mentioning Fitz and Daisy and definitely also Mack).  
  
"When are you starting?"  
  
"In the morning, after breakfast" Coulson answers and Jemma is sure he knows what she's going to say.  
  
"See you tomorrow, then, dad! It's actually kind of funny how the case found you and not the other way around."

 


	2. What We're Dealing With

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma and her father start the investigation and Coulson might have an idea. Fitz gets dragged into helping - quite literally.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, thank you so much for kudos and reblogs and likes on tumblr! I never expected that someone will actually want to read this story haha <3  
> Also, big thank you to my lovely beta, agentcalliope, because honestly, this chapter is 293804094 % better thanks to her! And also to leosbiochemist and crystabelshalott whose opinions made my day!

"I k...know that it's... oh god, it's such a tragedy! I can't believe s...someth...something like this happ-"  
  
"Please, calm down Miss Hutchins," Coulson says gently, trying to comfort the trembling woman wringing her hands.  She seems very scared and Jemma understands - there's a thief on this ship that hasn't been caught yet, and she would be scared too if she hasn't seen so many crimes like this one.  
  
In fact, she's seen far worse things - theft is awful, sure, but it could've been murder, and homicide is definitely something more serious.  
  
"I'm tryi... trying!" Hannah Hutchins says but from the way she doesn’t meet their eyes, Jemma suspects that she’s not telling them everything, and it might not be a while until they hear the entire story.  
  
"Okay, that's earful," Jemma says, smiling warmly at Hannah, "You're free to go, Miss Hutchins. Just remember, when you feel better, please come to my father or me and tell us exactly what you were doing yesterday." when woman's eyes widen, Jemma adds quickly: "Don't worry, we just want to make sure you didn't hear or see something that could be helpful. Even the smallest detail could be very important in catching our thief!"  
  
Miss Hutchins nods, thanks them profusely for their help, and leaves Coulson's cabin.  
  
Jemma sighs.  
  
"It's going to be a hard one" she concludes, something weird in her voice like she can't decide whether it's good or bad - she does love a challenge, after all.  
  
"You always say this, Jemma." her father chuckles and she rolls her eyes but her heart surges at his words. "I think you deserve a break. You know you're not actually a detective, right?"  
  
"I just want to help!" she exclaims and looks at Coulson with determination as if she wants to say that she'll be fine. When her father gives her The Look, she knows she should listen- it's not like he's wrong, she does need a break. She didn't exactly get much sleep and her eyes are closing even though she's doing her best to keep herself awake.  
  
"Fine. But promise me you'll call for me when something happens, please?" she smiles sweetly like a little girl who wants a new doll and her father chuckles again, a grin spreading across his face.  
  
"Okay, I promise."  
  
Jemma nods - she trusts him to do as he promised and she heads out the door of the cabin. She actually feels a little better when she's out of that room - she can stop thinking about what happened, even if it is for a short moment.  
  
"Jemma?" she hears someone say and she can’t help but smile when she recognizes the man with the sandy hair.  
  
For some reason she can’t explain, her heartbeat picks up speed but she chooses to ignore it. She’s probably still thinking about the case.  
  
"Hi, Fitz. How are you feeling today?" she asks rather brightly and then she remembers - it was his dad whose necklace was stolen.  She internally curses her sudden state of mind- she really does need a break.  
  
"Not well, I suppose?" she adds with sympathy. "It must be horrible!"  
  
"It is," he agrees and doesn't smile but Jemma can see he's grateful for her empathy. "But, yeah, I heard this Coulson detective is goo- wait" he stops and looks at her, narrowing his eyes and Jemma can practically see the gears turning in his mind, and she can barely suppress a giggle as he puts it together. "Didn't you say yesterday that your father's name was Phil Coulson?"  
  
"It seems like I did, yes." she relays with a wide smile but becomes more serious once she remembers it isn't exactly a happy moment for Fitz "Look, my father is the best of the best. He's never failed, not even once, really. He's going to solve this one, too, I promise!" she says energetically and stomps her foot.  
  
Again, she inwardly cringes- that must look so childish, stomping her foot like that.  
  
"Well, you sound sure of it." Fitz says, unconvinced.  
  
"Because I am! And if, for some reason, he doesn't find the thief, we will" she jokes, although she's actually sure she could find something, at least a little clue, by herself. Because hey, why couldn't she - she's Jemma Simmons, private detective's daughter, right?  
  
Fitz laughs a little though and she's not mad - that was kind of the purpose of her sentence until that ridiculous idea popped into her mind.  
  
"Of course," his smile looks like he's picturing this, "We can definitely solve this case and then found our own detective agency when we're in Boston!"  
  
"Oh, now you're on the trolley!" she smiles widely "Simmons & Fitz's Detective Agency sounds good!"  
  
"No way! It'd be called Fitz & Simmons'!" he argues and Jemma feels like at least this time they’re both childish as if they're both five-year-old kids who live in the same neighborhood, bickering all the time but loving it. She definitely has no problem with this feeling.  
  
They both laugh and it's ridiculous, really, because, for a moment, Jemma believes she would be fine with life like this, in Boston, owning a detective agency.  
  
"Hey, do you, um, want to take a walk, maybe?" he asks after they both finally calm down and she nods, maybe a little too vigorously.  
  
"Sure! It'd be good if I finally got to see more places on this ship other than my cabin and the restaurant!" she laughs. They both leave the cabin corridor, walking along until they enter a big hall full of people. A couple of them are playing bridge, but most of the passengers are talking with each other.  
  
Jemma’s sure it must be about what happened last night.  
  
She looks at Fitz who suddenly looks more distraught and wants more and more to see him smile again.  
  
"Hey, come on, let's go somewhere else!"  
  
Fitz gulps and looks at one of the groups of people, one that she hears talk really loudly about how "it's probably Mr. Johnson's daughter or son!" but then he nods and they both start walking towards the door when suddenly he halts in his tracks.  
  
"What is it?" Jemma asks, turning her head to look in the same direction he is. In the corner, there's a brunette talking to a strange looking man she didn't see yesterday at dinner. She can’t quite put her finger on it, but there’s something about him that makes her want to look away but apparently the woman doesn’t share her instinct, and suddenly begins giggling.  
  
That’s when it hits her - the woman is Daisy Johnson, Fitz's step sister.  
  
"Who is that guy?" he crosses his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes. He's suddenly very protective of Daisy and Jemma envies her a little - it would be nice to have a big brother when you're in trouble.  
  
Or maybe, Jemma thinks for an instant, it would be nice to have Fitz by your side when you’re in trouble, but she shakes the thought away.  
  
Besides, Daisy really doesn’t actually look like she's in trouble. She smiles and she laughs and she looks rather fond of the man she's talking to.  
  
"I don't know." Jemma speaks hesitantly, wanting to give Fitz an answer even if it's not the one he wanted. “But we can find out!"  
  
She grabs his wrist (while ignoring how natural it seems to be) and drags him to where his sister and the stranger stand.  
  
"Hello, Daisy!" Jemma grins and Fitz's sister smiles back when she catches sight of her.  
  
"Jemma, hi!" she says with enthusiasm that actually makes Jemma wonder if anyone told Daisy about the necklace. "And my dear brother!" she adds with weird smile Jemma has trouble placing.  
  
Oh. Daisy's looking at Fitz's wrist and Simmons' fingers.  
  
Quickly, she lets go of it.  
  
"Hey, Daisy" Fitz says but he's looking at the man Daisy was talking to. "Who is your friend?"  
  
"Oh!" Daisy looks like she's forgotten about the man she had been speaking to for a moment.  
  
"This is Grant Ward. Mr. Ward, meet Jemma Simmons and my annoying little brother, Leopold Fitz"  
  
"Daisy, please stop telling people you're older than me, okay?" Fitz frowns, and it probably isn’t supposed to be funny but for some reason, Jemma just can't stop herself from laughing quietly.  
  
She stops and clears her throat when he looks at her and gives her an eye.  
  
"Well, anyway, nice to meet you, Mr. Ward. Are you coming home from vacation?" Jemma asks before Fitz can say something else, and she might’ve only known him for a short while but she can tell it wouldn’t be something nice at all.  
  
Mr. Ward narrows his eyes for a moment like he's making a hard decision but then his gaze softens a little.  
  
"My uncle and I were meeting his business partners and now we're coming back. We-" he explains.  
  
"His uncle is a lawyer. " Daisy empathizes the word lawyer and gives Fitz a wide-eyed glance. Jemma notices that Mr. Ward doesn't seem very happy when she interrupts him. "Isn't it swell?"  
  
Jemma doesn't see anything swell about it and she suspects that Daisy doesn't either. Or maybe she just thinks she does because Simmons has to admit that Grant Ward is a good-looking man. Definitely more handsome than Milton.  
  
But then there's Leopold Fitz, this man with sandy curly hair that she just met yesterday who is more of her type than Mr. Ward.  
  
"Jemma?" She refocuses her attention when she hears his voice and smiles nervously. What is she doing? She has to keep her head straight!  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Um, yes, of course!" Jemma says a little bit too quickly "What’s your uncle's name, Mr. Ward? Maybe I've heard of him?" she asks, not really wanting to know this but she wants to prove that she was listening.  
  
"John Garrett." Grant Ward answers and  Jemma could swear she’s heard that name before. "Oh, I think I might know who he is." she says, allowing an awkward silence to follow until she speaks up again. "Fitz? Weren't we supposed to go for a walk?"  
  
"Oh, right, we should probably go, then!" he quickly responds, and they both leave after saying goodbye. Daisy and Mr. Ward seem happy about it and immediately go back to chatting with one another.  
  
Now that she pays attention to people around them, she can notice that some of them have gone. They had to be really wrapped up in the conversation with Fitz's sister and Mr. Ward. She's ready to leave the room but then something interrupts them, again.  
  
"Hello, Jemma!" this time the interruption has bright hair, a violet dress and a friendly smile directed at both Jemma and Fitz.  
  
"Hi, Bobbi. And Hunter." Simmons says and smiles back at them warmly. She's really glad she knows so many people already since that definitely makes traveling more interesting - not that it's being boring, with a theft occurring on only the second day. She introduces them to Fitz when she realizes that they hadn’t met yet.  
  
"This is Leopold Fitz, but apparently he'll do something evil to you if you don't call him Fitz." she jokes and laughs when she sees him rolling his eyes.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Fitz! Oh, so how's the investigation going, Detective?" Hunter asks, looking at Jemma and judging by his smile, he finds the whole thing more interesting than terrible.  
  
"Hunter." Bobbi’s voice drips with disapproval."This is a serious thing. We shouldn't joke about it!"  
  
"Sorry." he mutters and Jemma thinks it's funny how he apparently always listens to Bobbi. She remembers his odd choice of words when he had described her and vows to find out why Hunter said she was his old love. That means they had to break up at some point, right?  
  
When she looks at him, Fitz's face is as white as a sheet.  
  
"Hey, let's change the subject?" she asks and before she knows what she's doing, she squeezes his hand and he doesn't seem to mind - or maybe he's just still upset. "We can-"  
  
"Miss Simmons?" when she turns around, she sees a man in a uniform. "Mr. Coulson ordered me to inform you that he's found something, and he wants to see you in his cabin as fast as you can."  
  
"Oh, okay" she says and tries to stop the pounding of her heart "Thank you."  
  
"Do you... do you think it has something to do with the case?" Fitz asks and Jemma nods.  
  
"I'm sure of it! Bobbi, Hunter, it was great to talk to you, but we have to bounce! I promise I'll find you two later. Come on, Fitz, let's go!" she's almost running now, still holding his hand. She didn't ask him if he'd like to come with her but he doesn't protest. For now, the only thing Simmons can think about is the case. She's probably a really, really bad person but she's somewhat excited and something tells her it's going to be an interesting one.  
  
***  
  
This is new for Fitz. Normally, he definitely wouldn't like it if someone just grabbed his hand and took him somewhere without asking, but for some reason, Jemma is different. On the first day, before dinner, he had no idea that he was subconsciously looking for someone this whole time, but he knows the answer now - that girl with brown hair and hazel eyes that bumped into him on the first day. The previous day, he reminds himself.  
  
And that’s why he's still holding her hand and briskly walking through the corridor. She stops at the same spot in front of a door he met her today, and Fitz assumes it must be her father's cabin. She doesn’t make a move to step inside, though.  
  
"Shh." Jemma whispers before he can ask her why they're not going in. He raises his eyebrows but then he hears it - Mr. Coulson's inside, and he's having a rather loud conversation with someone.  
  
"We can't know for sure, Coulson!" the woman exclaims and Fitz believes he's heard this voice somewhere. Well, it wouldn't be such a weird thing since she's definitely one of the passengers.  
  
"May, I am sure, okay? We'll find out who stole the necklace and there will be no problem! This doesn-"  
  
He doesn't finish because his daughter finally opens the door and steps inside, dragging Fitz with her.  
  
She lets go of his hand, and he feels the separation immediately.  
  
"May, hello!" she says and now that Fitz can see who Mr. Coulson was talking to, he recognizes the woman Jemma went to talk to after they finished dinner the day before.  
  
"Hi, Jemma. Actually, I was just leaving." she gives Jemma's father quite a scary glance and then leaves the cabin without looking back.  
  
"Dad? You wanted me to come here? Did you find out something?"  
  
"Um, yes, Jemma, come in!" her father says, and he doesn't sound upset anymore. Fitz really wants to know why he was arguing with the woman - May, apparently - about the necklace. But it’s none of his beeswax, and there’s a more important question at hand.  
  
Mr. Coulson is quiet and Fitz realizes he's looking at him.  
  
"Fitz. Leo Fitz." he introduces himself and extends a hand for a handshake. "I didn't mean to interrupt but Jemma insisted I'd come with her. I can leave, though if you-"  
  
"Fitz, huh? I'm Phil Coulson, it's pleasure to meet you. Was it your father's necklace?" Mr. Coulson accepts Fitz’s hand and shakes it.  
  
Fitz nods. "Yes. He wanted to give it to my mom. I really hope you can find it, Mr. Coulson." he says with bitterness in his voice, not directed towards the detective at all, but at the thought of the missing jewelry. His mom definitely deserved that necklace, and now she won't get it. "But your daughter told me you were the best of the best and I believe her." he steals a glance at Jemma and his throat feels dry.  
  
"Oh, really, Jemma?" Mr. Coulson asks with a wide smile, she laughs a little.  
  
"Of course! It’s true, isn’t it? We're going to find the necklace and save Fitz's family's honor... or whatever. Well, anyway, what was it you wanted to tell me?"  
  
Instead of answering, Mr. Coulson shows both of them a newspaper, from five days ago. There are a couple of articles on the front page but only one of them has a really big headline. Another necklace stolen, the inscription reads.  
  
"Oh! I remember hearing about it" Jemma says, with her eyes narrowed like she’s trying to figure something out. "Wait. You think the thief is here, on this ship?"  
  
"There might be a possibility, yes." Mr. Coulson nods "We can't be absolutely sure, but it actually all matches."  
  
So this is what he and May were talking about, Fitz realizes. This May woman must be very passionate about this case, for some reason and Fitz wonders why.  
  
"So is this what we're dealing with? A professional thief that no one is able to catch?" Fitz mentions, upset. Until now, he was still hoping it was someone who's never stolen anything, saw the necklace and impulsively took it. If it's this thief that everyone is talking about...  
  
"Well, yes, there is a chance. But Fitz, I already told you my father will solve it!" Jemma assures him and for some reason, this time he believes her. He nods and takes a deep breath.  
  
"Okay," he says slowly, "But level with me, please. If at some point you'll think you won't be able to-"  
  
"We'll find the thief, Fitz!" she interrupts him and Fitz notices that she's suddenly way closer to him than just a moment ago. He moves away from her a little bit and wills his heart to slow down.  
  
"Alright, I believe you. And well, we can always carry on with our idea from this morning!" he manages to joke and Jemma laughs quietly.  
  
"Yes, of course! We'd make even better detectives than my father." she grins.  
  
"Excuse me?" Mr. Coulson asks but he's definitely not mad, given that he's laughing just like the two of them.  
  
Fitz likes it, a lot - he suddenly feels calmer and really, he's probably never laughed this much in one day. For once he believes that everything could be fine or at least better than it is now - because it's definitely not perfect, with a thief on the ship, his sister talking to a suspicious man and on top of that, Fitz feels a little seasick.  
  
That’s what that feeling is, right?  
  
And then, obviously, something happens and destroys the moment of peace. The door opens suddenly and a young woman runs into the room and immediately Fitz knows that something’s wrong.  
  
"Mr. Cou... Mr. C..." She can barely speak, and tears are flowing down her cheeks.  
  
"Miss Hutchins?" the detective worriedly questions. "What is it? Did something happen?"  
  
The woman - Miss Hutchins – is no doubt terrified. Her face is pale white, her hair is a mess and her eyes are red. Something horrible must have happened.  
  
"Yes!" she's almost shouting "He's... oh god, oh god!"  
  
"Hey, Miss Hutchins, calm down." Jemma's next to her in a moment and she's trying to comfort the woman.  
  
"He's dead, Miss Simmons! He's dead!"  
  
Fitz's eyes widen and he’s sure his face has gone as pale as Miss Hutchins. He's holding his breath, and he notices that everyone else in the cabin has too.  
  
"Who's dead?" Mr. Coulson asks, and Fitz wonders how he can control his voice and keep it this calm.  
  
"R...room 56" Miss Hutchins cries in Jemma’s arms and the detective nods.  
  
"Listen to me, okay? You have to stay here. Jemma, stay with her, please!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"I said, stay with her!" this time he demands it, and Jemma sighs but doesn't protest. She's tensed but who wouldn't be in a situation like this? Fitz wants to sit next to her and hug her but he can't move. Mr. Coulson walks out of the cabin and Fitz makes his decision - he stands up and follows him, ignoring what sounds like Jemma calling out to him.  
  
If Jemma's father's acknowledged Fitz's presence, he doesn't show it. They both keep walking silently until they reach the door numbered 56.  
  
It's open by a crack, and Mr. Coulson pushes it as they head in. Fitz hesitates, but just for an instant and he immediately starts to look around the room.  
  
His heart stops.  
  
There’s a man lying in the bed, and he could almost be mistaken for sleeping, if not for the huge gaping wound in his chest.  
  
He's dead.  
  
And someone murdered him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next chapter** : As the thief reveals themselves as a murderer, panic starts on the ship. FitzSimmons find out a bit more about the criminal that press loves to write about so much and will have to make some important desicions. But hey, what could go wrong other than really lots of things?


	3. No One Expects Detective Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know Fitz and Jemma, always careful, always responsible.  
> But have being careful and responsible ever helped with finding a criminal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for sticking with me!

There are three people in the cabin, but no one talks and the silence is way too loud for Fitz. Mr. Coulson has his eyes closed, so he must be thinking. Jemma probably does too but she looks like she needs some sleep - Fitz can't help but notice dark circles under her eyes and the way she yawns every couple of minutes.  
  
The silence breaks when someone enters the room.  
  
"Coulson?" it's May, Fitz recognizes. Her face doesn't show any emotions at all and he finds it kind of scary. "The man, we know his name. He's Wren Hart, 49 years old."  
  
Mr. Coulson's eyes open and he nods.  
  
"Thank you, May" he says and Fitz still wonders how he can be this calm when someone was just found dead. But then again, he's a private detective and he's probably been on lots of cases like this one. You can't work as a detective if you're too sensitive.  
  
On the other hand, Jemma does look very sensitive right now and really small, when she's trying not to fall asleep. He doesn't even think about what he's doing, but he's suddenly sitting right next to her.  
  
"You look tired" he says with concern and she looks at him, a little smile tugging at her lips.  
  
"Thank you. It's nice to know I look like a mess"  
  
"No, no, no, I didn't-"  
  
"I know you didn't mean it, Fitz" she rolls her eyes and for some reason it makes him smile. "But I really want to help. We had a thief on the ship and that was okay. I mean, it wasn't okay, but it wasn't too terrible. But now the thief is probably also a murderer, Fitz. I can't go to sleep, I have to do everything in my power to find him!"  
  
She's looking at him with a not matching mixture of determination and hopelessness in her eyes but then her gaze softens.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude" she apologizes quietly.  
  
He puts his arm around her, for a moment ignoring the fact, that there's Jemma's father in the same room.  
  
"I know. But you're not a real detective. You should be a normal passenger for a moment. Besides, if you're tired, you won't be able to think straight and if you can't do that, you can't catch the thief. Well, the killer." he grimaces at the last word. The sight of the dead man still haunts him, although it's been a couple of hours.  
  
Jemma looks down for a few moments but then her eyes are on Fitz's face again. She nods.  
  
"Okay, you're right. I probably should at least take a nap." Jemma admits and stands up which causes Fitz to take his arm back.  
  
"Good" he smiles at her and stands up, too "Come on, I'll walk you back to your cabin. I should probably go see my family, they must be worried." he adds and realizes that it could be a bit rude, to disappear for a whole day like this, without saying a word. They must have heard about the murderer until now and they might be looking for him.  
  
Fitz wants to say goodbye to Mr. Coulson and May but they are still talking and he decides against it. Jemma and him leave the cabin quietly and they stop right next to the door to her room.  
  
"Thanks, Fitz. For helping us today" she says and Fitz narrows his eyes.  
  
"I don't think I helped you if I'm being honest. I was mostly just sitting there" he laughs but he really regrets that it's the only thing he could do.  
  
"This helped more than you can know" she shrugs and Fitz wants to ask what she means by this but then he feels her soft lips on his cheek "Goodnight, Fitz."  
  
"G-goodnight, Jemma." he suddenly has trouble with finding the right words but he somehow manages to add the next part before she disappears inside "Hey, don't take any wooden nickels, please?"  
  
She rolls her eyes and his heart skips a bit.  
  
"I'm not planning anything stupid, I promise. And Fitz? I hope you're not planning it either!"  
  
Fitz rolls his eyes when he hears that but he can't help but smile, just one corner of his lips slightly up.  
  
"Oh, come on, you know me. Always responsible!" he assures her and realizes that she does know him, even if she doesn't know him completely yet.  
  
Yet - the word that stays with him a little too long, even after she disappears behind the door.  
  
***  
  
Jemma bites her lips. She doesn't like it - sleeping while something else might happen. She doesn't even understand why she agreed to it.  
  
Well, it might have something to do with the way her new friend looked at her but hey, it was his reasoning that made her take this decision. He was, after all, right. She does need sleep, even if she doesn't want to waste her time like that.  
  
She's wasting her time now, she realizes, thinking about everything but taking a nap, as she promised. So she lies down, closes her eyes and tries to stop thinking about the case.  
  
Oh god, this is the hardest thing she's done in her life, she can swear.  
  
She takes the pillow and covers her head with it. Twenty minutes. Yes, she can survive twenty minutes of doing nothing.  
  
Or so she hopes.  
  
***  
  
"What. The. Hell. Leopold!" Daisy has her arms crossed on her chest and her eyes are glistening dangerously. Fitz takes a step back because his sister can be very, very scary when she wants to. And Fitz wouldn't dare to underestimate her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Daisy, I really am, I lost track of ti-"  
  
"You lost track of time, really?" she asks through her teeth gritted. "I was worried, Fitz! We both were!"  
  
"Both?"  
  
"What were you thinking, huh?" he hears a deep voice he recognizes immediately.  
  
Daisy and Mack teaming up?  
  
Forget thieves and murderers - he's in a lot more trouble!  
  
Now they both are standing next to each other and he remembers those couple of times he came home too late, except it was usually his mother - later with Cal by her side. Not his sister and his best friend.  
  
"Look. I know you've been worried but I have a very good explanation" he says, accenting word 'very'. Daisy's eyebrows are raised and he takes it as a sign to continue. "I was helping. With the case."  
  
Mack blinks repeatedly, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Okay, I know it sounds crazy. I was with Jemma and her father. Remember when she mentioned him yesterday evening? Mr. Coulson? He's a pri-"  
  
"Oh. My. God!" Daisy's excited (and too loud) voice interrupts him "I should've recognize the name! The Brighton Case? The Campbell Family's stolen jewels? He solves it all! And you... oh my god, Fitz! You're stuck on his daughter, of all people who's daughters you could've had a crush on! And you're actually spending time with them!"  
  
"Hey, calm down" Fitz says, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, I mean Mr. Coulson, the private detective and yes, I've met him and his daughter and yes... what? No, I don't have a crush on Jemma Simmons!"  
  
"You care way too much for a person who doesn't care about her" his sister shrugs "Well, whatever. I already know the truth" she smiles and Fitz grimaces - here it is, again - the dangerous glisten in her eyes.  
  
"You were spending time with Jemma girl?" Mack asks but then he just shakes his head "Okay, I'll ask you about it another occasion. Just please, Turbo, don't disappear like that again, okay? Mr. Coulson is a detective, his daughter is a detective but you are not. And... you remember what happened the last time you decided knowing more than the others would be fun, right?" he's more serious now and so is Fitz - Mack mentioned the the incident and it's a very serious thing indeed.  
  
No one likes being in a coma, after all.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry I worried you. And... hey, Jemma isn't a detective eith-"  
  
He doesn't finish his sentence because Mack is suddenly nowhere to be found.  
  
"Gosh, you gotta tell him to stop doing that. It's creepy" Daisy winces and then looks at Fitz with the smallest smile on her lips. "Hey, you should go find my dad, he's looking for you now. Let's see if you can explain everything to him."  
  
"What? Cal is-"  
  
"Good luck, bro!" she taps him on his shoulder and leaves the room before Fitz even realizes that a) - the worst is still going to happen and b) - Daisy just called him 'bro'.  
  
***  
  
Wren Hart. 49 years old. Shot in the chest. Small gun.  
  
Jemma sighs and sits down on her bed. How is she supposed to sleep right now? There is no way she can focus on anything but the case that is bothering her and well, everyone on this ship.  
  
She opens her door to find her father standing there.  
  
"Jemma! I was just going to check on you. Did you get some rest? You looked very tired." his voice is full of worry and his hand is on her shoulder. He must have been thinking if he should go in for a while, at least couple of minutes.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine, everything's Jake!" she assures Coulson. "Is there anything new we know?"  
  
"I'm afraid we don't" he shakes his head and it's something that causes her to frown. Usually, by this time they would have known a lot more - sometimes there was even one most possible suspect.  
  
Sometimes, they already had their bird.  
  
"We don't?" she repeats, balled up. "What do you mean, we don't? We always do."  
  
Coulson sighs quietly and bites his cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jemma. But hey, we can find it, right? It's not over until we say so, remember!" he smiles widely and his daughter can't help but smile too.  
  
She sighs heavily after a moment but nods.  
  
"Okay, dad. We have to do everything in our power, right?"  
  
"That's my daughter!" Coulson exclaims and kisses the top of her head. "Okay, Jemma, you should get some more sleep."  
  
He looks at her, possibly uncertain her reaction but she just nods with a little smile.  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'll see you later?"  
  
"Ye- yeah, I'll see you later." he nods, surprised. He waves his hand and walks away after giving a small, still very confused smile.  
  
Jemma though isn't surprised at her own words at all. Because something is very wrong and if her father won't cooperate, she's going to do it by herself.  
  
And by that, she means being who she's always wanted to be, at least once - Detective Simmons.  
  
She can't help looking at herself in the big mirror in her bathroom to fix her hair and pink lipstick.  
  
Yes, no one expects Detective Simmons.  
  
Fighting a smile on her lips, she leaves her cabin, looking around and making sure that no one is seeing her. Her father is gone and the hall is empty which is the perfect opportunity for her. She walks quickly but still very carefully. Five more steps, three more steps, one. She's out of the hall. Another ten and she's now in the lobby. Twenty and she reaches another hallway.  
  
She looks around again, trying to stay very careful - she doesn't want anyone to catch her, obviously. She opens the door and only after she's already inside, she realizes she's been holding her breath.  
  
She's in. Jemma Simmons just broke to the crime scene.  
  
After taking a moment to calm down, she walks to the place where the body was found. It's not here anymore but it doesn't mean that no one would suspect that something's happened here - there is some blood on white bed covers. She looks around, trying to find something else, anything - a strand of possible attacker's hair, a sign of struggle.  
  
She doesn't find anything.  
  
Really, nothing. How is this even possible? When could the murderer find any time to clean this place up? How could they not miss anything? It all seemed like amateur's work but right now, Jemma was sure that it wasn't the case, it couldn't be. What kind of amateur is this good?  
  
She freezes when she hears a noise. Someone's hand is on the door handle.  
  
Oh god. It must her father. If she doesn't run or hide very, very quickly, another crime will be committed.  
  
She looks around, trying to remember how to breathe.  
  
The curtains? Oh please, it isn't preschool anymore. Bathroom? He could actually go inside. The closet? Jemma is way too old to hope that the closet is a safe place!  
  
The door handle starts to twist.  
  
Okay, closet it is, then!  
  
She opens the door and someone immediately grabs her arm. The killer. He's still here, he's been waiting for Jemma to come inside! How could she be so stupid? And now... now this is the end for her, the end of all of it!  
  
She wants to scream, but then he turns her around so that she's facing him and puts his hand to cover her mouth.  
  
"What? Jemma?" he's as shocked as she is and he looks like he wants to ask her a question (excuse her, Jemma wants to know some things too!) but then someone is in the cabin. "Shh, be quiet!"  
  
"Quiet??" Jemma whispers "What on earth are you doing here, Fitz?? You promised me you wouldn't-"  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't do anything stupid? You were supposed to rest!" he almost raises his voice but fortunately, he remembers that they're hiding from a killer.  
  
Oh, what a normal statement to be made.  
  
"And you weren't supposed to be here! Ugh, Fitz!" she sighs, annoyance in her voice.  
  
"Jemma-"  
  
"Don't 'Jemma' me right now! You should-"  
  
"No, Jemma!"  
  
"What?" she asks through gritted teeth, her eyebrows raised with annoyance.  
  
"Look." he gently turns her around so that she can face the holes in the closet now and all of her emotions are gone.  
  
Someone is there, looking for something in the drawers. Jemma raises an eyebrow, waiting for the criminal to stand with their face visible to her. The thief - the murderer - finally takes something out of one of the drawers in the desk and then hides whatever it is in their coat.  
  
And then the killer turns around which causes Jemma to gasp out loud. She covers her mouth immediately and freezes but fortunately the woman doesn't notice Jemma's presence. Instead, she hides her golden locks under her hat and leaves the cabin quietly.  
  
Jemma is so going to pass out.  
  


 


	4. You're a Genius, Jemma Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma and Fitz have the chance to actually see how well would they work as a team. Fitz thinks Jemma's a genius (as always), Jemma can't focus and then there's some Small Talk With A Killer for Begginers.  
> Sounds like fun, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my gosh, it's been a month, seriously? :/ i apologize you all a lot, A LOT and i feel awful bc i really wanted to finish it quicker :( and it's also the shortest chapter by now :/
> 
> but i really do hope you at least enjoy it and i promise the next chapter won't be here in a month but sooner! you are amazing and i love you all a lot and i just wish i could hug you bc you say so many nice things about my story while i didn't even think that people would want to read it!  
> so, without further ado, here's chapter 4!

He's not really breathing and Jemma probably isn't, too. His jaw is clenched and he gulps, cursing himself for coming here in the first place. How stupid has one to be to do something like this?  
  
Not that he finds Jemma stupid, because how could he? She's brilliant. Just, what was she thinking, scaring him like this? She promised him she would be careful and well, she's here now, with him. Although maybe it's not such a bad thing - at least he can protect her.  
  
Or maybe she can protect him, for that matter. What a great time to realize that you have absolutely no experience in dealing with dangerous people, unlike the person you're trapped in a closet with, fortunately.  
  
The killer turns around and Fitz's eyes widen. Is this...?  
  
"Oh god, I feel sick" Jemma mutters and when he looks at her, he notices her face is really pale. He puts his arm around her, helping her not lose her balance and only now he realizes she's shaking. The door closes and the killer leaves the crime scene.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jemma" he smiles at her sadly, still holding her, not sure if she can walk by herself (and maybe, just maybe, he doesn't want to let go). She looks really sick, as she just told him and he'd do anything to help her.  
  
"But... Bobbi Morse, Fitz! I'd never think it's her we've been looking for!" she shakes her head with disbelief and he suddenly feels very useless. Someone stole from his step father's? He's just being sad and bitter about it. Someone murders one of the passengers? He's in a room full of people who are trying to find a solution and he's sitting there in awkward silence. Jemma is sad? He can't do anything about it.  
  
He looks at her with a sigh - he still can't do anything - and he notices something new on her face. Her eyes are glistening dangerously. Her teeth are gritted. She's not sad - she's angry. And here it is, back on her face - determination.  
  
"Come on" she says, storming through the door. He has to let go of her but has no time to feel disappointed - she's already on the other end of the corridor, not really caring if anyone notices her. Fortunately, there's no one here.  
  
"Come on where?" he asks, going out of the room and closing the door behind him. She stops and there's a littlest, an almost invisible smile on her lips.  
  
"To catch our killer, obviously" and then she just goes and Fitz follows her quickly. "We need a proof. If there's no proof, she can't be arrested. Or they. Who knows, maybe Hunter is involved, too? I never believed their little story of how they accidentally met again on the ship. And an actress? That's typical. When criminals... not only them, when people in general lie, they tend to still keep some part of the truth. And what do actors do for a living? They lie, Fitz. A lot!" she speaks fast and he's really impressed by her knowledge.  
  
She's probably the most brilliant person he's met.  
  
They walk, side by side until they reach the room that Bobbi told Jemma was hers.  
  
And then they stop.  
  
Because how are they going to enter the room? He wants to ask her about it but she's staring into the distance with her eyes narrowed which, as Fitz managed to learn, is a sign that she's thinking.  
  
"Okay, what do we know about Bobbi? She seems like a clever type. She wouldn't leave the door unlocked" she tries to open it, probably just to be sure but as she suspected - they're closed. "Well, we're lucky my dad was given the ultimate key so he could go on with the case. We're also lucky that I might have taken it from him when he checked on me today" she says the end of this sentence quietly and Fitz looks at her with a huge smile.  
  
"You're a genius, Jemma Simmons!" he announces and if they weren't breaking into someone's cabin to catch a murderer and thief, he would kiss her cheek, cause he's this proud and amazed.  
  
The key fits - obviously - and the door opens. It's messy inside - really messy. Apparently, criminals don't care about what their room looks like? - but there's no sign of jewels or anything, really. But then again, what exactly did Fitz expect? Blood everywhere? Some creepy drawings? Knives? That's what psychopath's room would look like and not a smart killer's one and still, probably even a psychopath wouldn't own stuff like that.  
  
And then he remembers they've just broken into a murderer's room.  
  
"Uh, what exactly is the plan?" he asks and swallows, suddenly feeling a bit sick. Jemma seems perfectly fine, though, when she's looking through things in the room.  
  
"I'll look for something that could be a proof and you stay where you are and warn me when someone's coming" she says, opening another drawer and not even trying to be too careful while doing so.  
  
"What if someone will actually come? Jemma, we don't exactly have too much time to hide anywhere, not mentioning that it's not like we have a place to hide! And Bobbi will definitely come here very soon!"  
  
"Yeah. She probably went to..." she freezes, her hand still on something she found in the room. "Oh my god, I was so stupid!" she winces and immediately puts the thing down. "She probably hides things in Hunter's room! She's clever, she wouldn't keep them here! And I'm pretty sure he does know about it. Maybe even it all was his idea, who knows!"  
  
"So what do we do now?"  
  
"Well... we'll have to find Hunter's room, obviously!" he can see that she's ready to do so and he suddenly feels something. He's looking at her - her eyes are glistening like she's ready to become some kind of a superhero and save the world, beating all the bad guys. Her hair is a bit messy - if some old lady saw her, she might think she's been up to something inappropriate - but that just shows how much she's focused on what she's trying to do. There's a little stain on her dress and there's a strand of cinnamon hair on her face but she's beautiful to him. Hell, she might be the most beautiful person he's ever met and he only just realizes that he's known this for some time already but right now it really overwhelms him.  
  
And then there's something else.  
  
"Fitz? Are you not coming?" she's standing by the door, her lively eyes looking at him.  
  
"I... look, Jemma, it's gone too far. Shouldn't we tell your father about this?"  
  
"No" she simply says, shaking her head and that catches him off guard. He didn't exactly expect something like this.  
  
"What? Why? Shouldn't your father-"  
  
"I said no" her voice is suddenly angry and she's frowning, her jaw clenched, hands in fists. "I want to solve this case. Alone. I mean... with you. But you know what I mean. Without my father's help."  
  
She surprises him, because to this moment he was absolutely sure that she's got the best relationship with Phil Coulson. What's changed?  
  
"Look, if you don't want to go, I totally understand" she sighs and seems genuinely sad - her lip corners are slightly pulled down and the glistening of her eyes disappears.  
  
"I do want to come! Look, Jemma, you're a genius. An actual genius. But this... this is dangerous. They are... they are murderers. They've actually bumped someone off and- and look, I couldn't live with myself if something ever happened to you."  
  
And here it is - complete silence, for the first time in the last couple of minutes. He realizes now that they're standing really, really close to each other and if he just took a step forward, he could easily kiss her.  
  
For a moment he thinks he might just do this, even if it's inappropriate, even if he's known her for just one day.  
  
But then she puts her hands on the sides of his head, forcing him to look at her.  
  
"Fitz. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I promise." she gives him a small smile and he can't help but think of kissing her again.  
  
But then she grabs his hand and smiles widely.  
  
"Come on, let's catch our killers!"  
  
*****  
  
It's really hard for Jemma to focus on the case right now. Not while they're both walking really fast down the corridor and he's holding her hand. But she has to stop thinking about... what is she even exactly thinking about? It's just Fitz, her new friend. Why would his presence distract her at all?  
  
They reach Hunter's room before she has time to think about it.  
  
"Okay," she nods "So now we have to find a way-" she doesn't finish her sentence because Fitz just opens the door.  
  
It's good. But it could also be a trap and in this case, they have to be extremely careful. There's no time for making mistakes.  
  
They carefully look around, making sure that no one is here. Jemma looks at Fitz who looks really uneasy.  
  
"Hey, maybe you just want to-"  
  
"I'm fine!" he interrupts her and this time she looks quite sure of it, even if she's not convinced.  
  
Jemma nods and they both start carefully looking for a place, where stolen things could be hidden. She opens every drawer she finds and Fitz does the same thing. She can't help thinking that they would actually be really good partners. If they've known each other for a day and they already understand each other so well, how much of a great team would they be after another month? Three months? A year?  
  
Before she can actually start planning anything - because it's a curse, really, that she just can't stop planning things sometimes - she hears a loud gasp.  
  
"Fitz? What is it?"  
  
Instead of answering, he shows her what's in his hand.  
  
A necklace, not just any necklace, the stolen one. She opens her mouth, not sure if she's going to congratulate him now or remind that they have to go but someone's voice interrupts her.  
  
"Jemma?" both her and Fitz hold their breaths immediately and look as much frightened as the other one.  
  
Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter have just entered the room, holding hands casually like they are a couple after a cute date and not a pair of thieves, killers, and lord knows who else.  
  
It all happens slowly after that - Jemma opens her mouth but nothing comes out of it and she notices how Bobbi's eyes land on the necklace Fitz is holding in his hand.  
  
And then Fitz grabs the nearest thing, a short knife that's probably for opening up letters and points it in the direction of Bobbi and Hunter.  
  
"You're not going to kill us like you did with poor Mr. Hart! Jemma's father knows where we went, he's already on his way!"  
  
If Jemma didn't fear for her and Fitz's lives so much, she would be impressed by how calm Fitz stays. She gulps loudly and tries to catch her breath while she watches the couple standing in front of them carefully, waiting for whatever they're going to do.  
  
"What?" they hear finally and it takes Jemma a while to realize that the word came out of Hunter's mouth. "What the hell are you talking about, Jemma? We never killed anyone!"  
  
"Why, how can you explain the necklace Fitz is holding? Are you saying it just magically appeared in your cabin?" Jemma asks, for some reason really angry, even though she should probably be very careful with words right now.  
  
Bobbi sighs and her and Hunter look at each other for a moment, something Jemma understands as a quiet conversation.  
  
"Look, we have to tell them, okay?" Hunter says, finally, resignation in his voice. "Look, we might have stolen the necklace..." Jemma can't help but roll her eyes at how he accents "might" as if it wasn't quite obvious already "...but we've never killed anyone, okay?"  
  
It's time for Jemma and Fitz to have a quiet consultation now. He looks clueless like he doesn't get anything now and she can't blame him - she really wishes she could finally find out about everything.  
  
"How could we believe you?" Fitz crosses his arms on his chest and looks at Bobbi and Hunter skeptically but Jemma puts her hand on his arm and shakes her head.  
  
"No, it does make sense. I mean, we all got wrapped up in this concept that the thief and the murderer are the same person. But what if they are two different people?"  
  
The tension in the room eases and everyone seems worried now.  
  
"Great" Fitz mutters, sounding more annoyed than scared "So we have to deal with someone we have no idea about now? Someone who actually killed a man for purposes unknown?"  
  
"Sounds like fun" Hunter says ironically.  
  
Bobbi and Jemma just look at each other. Sure, she and Hunter have a lot explaining to do but at least someone she likes isn't a killer.  
  
And who knows, maybe they do need someone who knows how to break the law on their little detective's team?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hey, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! <3 also, go talk to me on tumblr where i'm lafatyette <3


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